Features

Hawker – a famous name in the aeronautical arena, but an almost forgotten maker of motorcycles… Words: Roy Poynting Photography: Terry Joslin When a Hawker Hunter jet fighter was recently involved in a tragic crash, the everyday media universally described it as a ‘vintage Hawker’. Well, being made in the early-1950s that’s probably true in…

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Bought by Philip Ingold in 1968, this 1958 Velocette Venom has been restored by Philip’s son Simon as a fitting memorial to his late father. Words and photography: JAMES ADAM BOLTON On what most likely would have been a chilly winter’s day, February 17, 1968, a young man named Philip Ingold walked along Acton High Street,…

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Photography: MORTONS MEDIA ARCHIVE Detailed in the June 24, 1914, edition of The Motor Cycle, here we see Ralph Bankes-Jones (signed as ‘RBJ’ in the original article) as he makes dinner alongside his trusty P&M, during the summer which preceded the start of the Great War, which began on July 28, 1914. Bankes-Jones was clearly…

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Words: Roy Poynting Photographs: Terry Joslin This two-stroke, two-speed Levis is a fine example of an early vintage ride-to-work machine. Some visiting American friends once saw one of these delightful little machines and exclaimed “gee, that’s neat, a motorcycle with the same name as our jeans!” Well, for the record there’s absolutely no connection between…

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Words: Steve Wilson Photographs: Gary Chapman This 1956 Thunderbird is a rolling demonstration of why these soft-tuned, iron-engined 650s were the ultimate Triumph twin for many experienced riders. Triumph’s 6T Thunderbird was held by many ‘in the know’ to be the all-round best of the firm’s twins. Sales manager Ivor Davies, the late guru restorer…

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Words: JAMES ROBINSON Photographs: GARY CHAPMAN MV’s 4C, introduced for 1966, was not what prospective purchasers and schoolboys the world over dreamed of. Imagine if MV had made this instead… Amulti-cylinder MV Agusta roadster had been the dream of enthusiasts ever since the four-cylinder racer made its bow in 1950, with the R19 Turismo shown…

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In June 1950 a pair of enthusiasts from England set off on two of Plumstead’s finest, bound for Israel. W A Ingram and his cousin Ken set off from Newcastle headed for Israel, on two practically new rigid-frame 500cc Matchless G80 singles; the motorcycles were largely standard, apart from the additions of windscreens, air filters…

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Words: PHIL TURNER Photographs: GARY CHAPMAN Spot a rusty front wheel poking out of an old garage or shed and while some may ignore it, most of wouldn’t. As Gerry Lavender found out, a closer look is sometimes really worth it… Imagine this scenario for a moment: you’re going about your daily business when through…

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Words and photographs: Steve Wilson Though the trip didn’t perhaps go quite as smoothly as might have been hoped, a good time was had by all. The BSA camping weekend at Stephen Dunne’s rambling farm in central France earlier this year was too good an opportunity to miss. Stephen had started running the weekends four…

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Words: ROY POYNTING Photographs: TERRY JOSLIN The 1931 Sunbeam Lion is a rare beast, and although its name hints at a fearsome nature, it’s actually more a big, soft pussycat. It was a no-brainer for the motor industry to adopt the names of nature’s big cats; conjuring up images of what the Jaguar car adverts…

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